A SHORT TEXT SET AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: CHOOSE A TOPIC & RUN WITH IT

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

One way to create a short text set is to explore a particular topic.  We recommend picking something you, or your students (or both!), are particularly interested in.  Once you start looking for resources, you will be surprised by how many things there are to find.  By using short texts, you can expose your students to a variety of text types all in the name of learning about something fascinating.

Elizabeth is a birder and she spends most of the Spring in Central Park being amazed by the migrating warblers.  In the winter she has been known to be on the lookout for Snowy Owls.  Once she walked a long way on a beach in Eastern Long Island with some friends toward something that looked like a bleach bottle and eventually, as she got closer, discovered it was actually a Snowy Owl snoozing on a log.   You may have read about or seen the post last year when a Snowy Owl was spotted in Central Park.  It was the first one recorded in NYC in 130 years!

When students and teachers inquire about a topic, then spend time curating resources to fuel that curiosity or interest, there’s a good chance that new knowledge and understanding about that topic will grow. In addition, reading, writing and talking volume will increase too.

If you liked our Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Field Guides we think you’ll appreciate this connection we’re making to a topic that we enjoy —> OWLS! It’s so much fun to take a topic and text you love and expanding it into a short text set.

TRY THIS

Step 1

We start this text set with the NYTimes article about the first Snowy Owl to be seen in Central Park in 130 years.  This could be read independently by upper elementary children and read aloud to younger ones.  What’s fun about this NYTimes Article about Snowy Owls is that there are other short texts tucked all across the article including photos and captions that showcase the snowy owl’s adventures.  Dive into the article and consider:

• Orienting students to the features of a news article

  • Byline

  • Date

  • Structure of a news article 

• Asking some questions that could get students talking about the article and about snowy owls

  • What is this article about?  Why is it being written?  Who is the intended audience?

  • Is there a photo, caption, graphic, or link to other information that helps you read, interpret and comprehend the text?  

  • What important details (data, facts, information) are shared in the article?

Step 2

Talk to students about some vocabulary words associated with birds, specifically the Snowy Owl.  Some to consider are:

• Migration and migratory

• Nocturnal versus diurnal

• Mammal

• Wing, wing span, flight, and range

Take a look at a map of the Snowy Owl’s range.  Here’s a Snowy Owl Range Map which is a nice example with lots of great bird information.  You could use this resource to:

• Define range

• Teach students about map features

FURTHER STEPS

After digging into all of these sources, you and your students might want to learn more about Snowy Owls.  There are some great resources to explore such as:

• National Geographic for Kids – Snowy Owl

• Animal Fact Files

• Snowy Owl Fact Sheet

And now that everyone knows a bit more about Snowy Owls, maybe you explore some beautiful picture books that explore different types of owls.  Start by reading both of these books aloud, noting that one is fiction and the other is nonfiction.  Create a two-column anchor chart or give students a chance to draw a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the two short texts.   Ask:

• What are the differences between fiction and non-fiction?

• How did Jane Yolan build suspense in Owl Moon?

Note: The owl in Owl Moon, by Jane Yolan, is a Great Horned Owl.

GOING DEEP & WIDE

Looking for more titles and short text types that add to and expand your text set?  Check out these titles: 

STAY TUNED!

More about short texts and short text sets coming soon!

Short Texts at Your Fingertips: Short Stories

We offer you Short Texts at Your Fingertips. One or two times each week, we provide teaching ideas around a different type of short text that is easily found in the home, so that no family feels under-resourced. These ideas can integrate into virtually any curriculum and pedagogy, from Workshop to basal. If you are a caregiver, teacher, or curriculum director, these brief but mighty texts and lessons are our way of saying thanks. And our way of giving children authentic and enjoyable reading and writing engagements each day. 

Written by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim

SHORT TEXTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: SHORT STORIES

Short stories provide lots of benefits for readers of all ages, one being they are short! Or  Short stories provide lots of benefits for readers of all ages.   For one thing, they are short!  They are usually fast-paced with a single-plot.  Short stories have other benefits too. Readers can read from start to finish, avoiding the struggle of failure to launch and failure to finish.  Short stories give readers opportunities to try new genres and authors.  Short stories are portable, tradable, can easily be read several times, and can be a path to reading longer texts.  Short stories are a great resource to use in flexible, small groups where kiddos have many opportunities for reading, writing, and talking opportunities!

We get jazzed up by short stories -- both stand alone stories and those collected in anthologies.  We would be remiss if we neglected to mention a favorite short story type called a picture book.  We wrote about picture books -- check it out here.  Take a look at some of our favorite short story anthologies.  They are sure to pique students’ interests, inspire reading more and more often, and create culturally responsive reading opportunities for students across grade levels.  

LINKS TO THESE TITLES

Take the Mic: Fictional Stories of Everyday Resistance by Jason Reynolds, Samira Ahmed, et al.

Guys Write for Guys Read: Boys' Favorite Authors Write About Being Boys by Jon Scieszka

Fresh Ink: An Anthology by Lamar Giles

Baseball in April and Other Stories by Gary Soto 

Flying Lessons & Other Stories by Ellen Oh

A Stage Full of Shakespeare Stories (World Full Of...) by Angela McAllister

Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices by S. K. Ali and Aisha Saeed

Funny Girl: Funniest. Stories. Ever. by Betsy Bird

5-Minute Marvel Stories (5-Minute Stories) by Marvel Press Book Group, Brandon Snider, et al.

TRY THIS!

Step 1

Find a short story you want to share.  There are lots of ways to share a short story.  Ask yourself, will you share the short story:

• As a read aloud?

• As a text for shared reading?

• With a small group?

• With an individual student?

Next, ask yourself, will you and your students read the short story:

• All together?

• Partially together and partially on your own?

• On your own?

Then, ask yourself, will you and your students:

• Read just for the sake of reading?

• Jot some notes, draw some images, write about what you are thinking or wondering about your reading?

Finally, ask yourself, will you and your students talk about the short story:

• All together during the whole group?

• In a half group?

• In small groups?

• One-to-one between teacher and student?

Step 2

Find other short stories that students will enjoy reading.  Check out these online resources:

• Short Story Collections

• Storyline Online

• Read.gov [Library of Congress]

Step 3

Select other short stories you want students to read.  Decide:

• Will all students read the same short story?

• Will students have choices in the short stories they read?

• Will students go on a hunt and find [or curate] short stories for their peers to read?

Step 4

Consider giving students opportunities to write their own short story for their peers or for online publication submission.  Here are some publications that accept short stories written by students:

• Cricket

• Stone Soup

• Highlights

• US Kids

• Aquila

FOR MORE RESOURCES, CHECK THESE OUT!

• A Year Full of Stories: 52 Classics from Around the World by Angela McAllister

• Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz

• The Hero Next Door by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich [Editor] **pre-order now available!

• Scope Magazine

• School Magazine

• Spider Magazine

COMING SOON!

Short Texts:  Mighty Mentors That Move Readers and Writers Forward by Julie Wright & Elizabeth Keim (2022)

Co-planning a Mini-Unit to Wrap Up the Year with JOY!

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with Shannon for the last few years. We share a common love of books and we are both self-proclaimed pen snobs — meaning we are both “pen-picky” and enjoy trying to convince one another that our favorite pen type is the best. Shannon is a continual learner — with an ongoing stream of inquiry. She’s a joy to co-plan with because she exudes happiness as she noodles ideas, thinks through wonderings, and creates ways to support her students — and her learning community — in collaborative, heart-felt ways.

A DISCLAIMER OF SORTS

A few shared agreements:

• As I co-plan with teachers, I’m not going to spend much time, if any, editing the videos.  This means it might be clunky at times.  You might get a barking dog, tech glitches, or family interruptions.  I hope you’ll be able to relate. Thank you, in advance, for assuming best intentions and for your understanding. In addition, not everything we do together is recorded.

• The ideas shared in these videos are NOT “the way” or “the right way” -- they are just one way to approach the work.  I hope you’ll spend some time actively studying the co-planning conversation. As you listen, take stock of the ASSETS that emerge from the conversation.  Think about:

  • What’s the WHY behind our work?  

  • What moves are we trying to make in service of students?

  • Name the implications for your work going forward.  What might you adopt or adapt to fit your setting, interests, and/or needs?

• Focus on process versus end product.  The work will continue to unfold even if it’s not captured on video segments.  If you check back into our shared documents, you’ll notice changes because our work is dynamic, not static, and will evolve across time.

HERE’S WHAT WE ARE UP TO

• Shannon’s students have settled into a learning from home routine and are launching into their 8th week. Each week brings about new celebrations and new challenges.  

• Shannon wants her students to end the year with a mini-poetry unit, celebrating reading and writing!

THINGS WE ARE THINKING ABOUT NOW

• How do the enduring practices we use in the classroom translate -- or not -- to remote/digital learning from home?

• What’s the WHY behind this mini-poetry unit?

• What’s going to get kiddos jazzed up about reading and writing poetry?

• What end demonstrations or learning celebrations can we co-create with students to honor their work?

VIDEO

If you are interested in watching a coach and teacher co-plan — working as THINKING PARTNERS in response to the unique times we are currently experiencing — check out this video.

SOME REFLECTIONS

• What poem types will be new/unfamiliar to students?  What poem types will feel like “old friends”?

• Will students write poetry on paper or on the computer?  They have options so I’m wondering what they will choose?  

• Will students illustrate some of the poems they write?

• Is there a way to help students collect all of the poems they are reading and writing [a binder or folder] to keep them organized at home?  If so, maybe they could be used to inspire reading/re-reading poetry over the summer.

OTHER LINKS & RESOURCES

Our DRAFTY, dynamic, in-motion, evolving plans: Julie & Shannon: Co-planning Mini-Poetry Unit

Small Group Plans:  Small Group Reading & Writing Lesson Plans to Adopt, Adapt or Improve [During Remote/Distance Learning]

Short Texts at Your Fingertips:  Poetry

If you want to learn more about Shannon’s classroom, check out her blog!

IDEAS TO CHEW ON

As most educators would agree, working from a distance is not the same as in-person experiences. In my work as a consultant, it’s not unusual for me to work across the miles with teachers. In fact, most of my consulting contracts include some form of this type of professional learning, particularly as we prepare for our work together in the classroom. Planning and working across the miles is how we often get a jump-start to our work together. The difference, of course, is the work we are typically planning is NOT from a distance. So, that is where we are trying to make a shift.

I’m in good company when I say we are all kind of tired of this by now. However, with so many unknowns about what school will — or should — look like in the fall, we are using this spring as a dress rehearsal of sorts. We are asking:

• What’s working? What’s clunky?

• Who are we reaching and supporting in ways that are making a difference?

• Who are we concerned about? What don’t we know that we should know?

• How will we stay connected and minimize the “distance” that separates us?

• How will we create compelling, sophisticated learning experiences that take into account our foundational beliefs and practices in ways that nature and inspire students?

Two pieces I’ve recently written that might be of interest are:

• Instructional Coaches as Servant Leaders: 3 Actions to Consider Now More Than

• CCIRA Blog Post: Ask First, Teach Later

Until next time — keep at it! You’ve got a whole crew of educators cheering you on because we know the spirit and camaraderie surrounds us all! Reach out if you’d like to chat about ways I might be of service and support your efforts!

Simplicity and Connection in Distance Learning

We’ve heard it and said it lots of times over the past weeks. These are tricky times. I’m so proud of all the educators have stepped up to make the most out of the changes and challenges that have come their way. As I support educators across the miles, it’s clear that there is no one right answer or one right way. It’s about putting our best feet forward in meeting the individual and collective needs of the learning communities we serve. And, then, pushing pause to reflect so that we can make reasonable and responsive moves forward.

Last week I had the pleasure of speaking with Patty McGee about the simplicity and connection in distance learning. Our conversation was refreshing and I’m thankful for the opportunity. In case you missed it, check it out here!

Thanks to Patty and Benchmark Education for your continued support of important conversations and work!